Stockton Board Pushes Back Salt Shed, Gas Line Construction

August 17, 2013

STOCKTON - When the Stockton Town Board met Tuesday night, all members were in favor of delaying the construction of a new salt shed after receiving only one bid from HK Services of Leon.

"By the time I got the plans from the engineer, it was July," said Town Supervisor David Wilson.

Earlier in the year, two different structural plans were proposed. Two bids were received, $107,000 for a wooden construction and $164,350 for a concrete structure. The current building is 27 years old.

"I say we scrap both of these bids," Wilson said. "Let's go back out to bid in February or March so whoever bids will have the entire summer to fit it in their schedule."

Wilson hopes to lower the amount by 40 percent if more offers are received.

The board also decided to hold off until March or April on the opening of a line from the town's gas well on Stockton-Hartfield Road as members are dissatisfied with the amount offered to construct the line. It will be 800 feet long, going under a road and a creek.

"It's a lot of work," Wilson said. "I think if the highway superintendent pushes a little harder we can get another quote."

The town's summer recreation program ended with higher attendance rates than expected. The board complimented the counselors and the work they put in over the summer. In the last week, children attended a puppet show which took place at the newly remodeled Cassadaga Branch Library.

Trudy Coulcher, president of the library's board of directors, said, "We hope to have more events like that."

Highway Superintendent Aaron Burnett said the highway department had a meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently about reimbursement from storms that took place in late June and early July.

"There were quite a few towns around the county that sustained substantial washed-out culverts," Burnett said.

The FEMA website says assistance for state and local governments can include "payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property."

"We should have a substantial reimbursement," Burnett added.

Two public hearings will be held on Sept. 10 in Stockton, one for the adoption of a local law that will impose a $5 late charge for dog licenses and one to explain the 2 percent override for the town budget.